I would like to address the comments and accusations made by Lindgren Johnson and Cory Shaman in the letter to the editor published June 27.

First, I do not see how anyone could view my comments as “scare tactics and excuses.” I stated the facts about hurdles that would be faced to implement the program.

Also their opinion to not “placate” irate citizens who call us to enforce the animal control ordinances is absurd. We work for the citizens of Russellville and are required to enforce the ordinances and solve their problems.

As far as your concern about my doubts about volunteers, that is not what was said. Read the article again and I was quoted as saying, to implement this program “would take money and volunteers.” We have several dedicated volunteers who show up on a regular basis and they are highly appreciated.

As far as the comment the shelter “has money,” you have obviously been misinformed. Just as every other department in the city, the animal control department operates under budget constraints. All departments have to operate under the budget they receive for the year.

To comment that these funds need to be spent “sensibly” is totally without basis. Our budget has always been managed very well with as much money available used for vaccinations, spaying and neutering and vet care.

Come adopt some animals.

Mike Vernon

Director of Animal Control Russellville

Special election: Who should pay

Skyline Joint Ventures LLC led by Richard Peel paid over $5,000 to 17 canvassers to get a special election to try and stop the Walmart Market. WHY? To protect the property owners in the area? NO. Because they own the property where Cash Savers and Fred’s is located. So residents and zoning issues has nothing to do with it. It is strictly for there own benefit. They don’t want the competition’ so I wonder why they don’t offer to pay for the special election that they have created for there own personal benefits and not the citizens of Russellville.

What message are we sending other companies that look at coming to Russellville if we don’t approve this market. It should have never gotten to this point. I think personal gains should not be a reason for a ballot vote. Our city went through all the legal and ethical procedures to open up this market, which had agreed to install traffic lights and money for other improvements. Don’t let a select group stop progress in Russellville for there own profits and greed. Who knows ‘ you could be next.

Jim Ketchum

Russellville

Committee for Community “Progress”?

The newest campaign to gather support for the proposed Walmart Neighborhood Market is the so called “Committee for Community Progress,” a seemingly self-serving organization.

The committee urges the Russellville public to vote in affirmation of the rezoning of the property located on Vancouver. While a Walmart would perhaps bring in more jobs to this community (while bearing in mind that multiple studies have shown that Walmart destroys three jobs for every two created) the election to be held on Aug. 13 is not voting on the Walmart as a whole.

In fact, it is something much bigger than Walmart. The upcoming special election will be on whether or not the property located on Vancouver can be rezoned for PUD (Planned Unit Development).

This new committee hits hard on the fact that we need a Walmart and that a vote for Walmart is a vote for progress. However, they seem to be forgetting that the election is actually on the controversial rezoning issues in the proposed location.

The “Committee for Community Progress” stands strong on the issue that Walmart would produce more jobs and thus allow this community to “progress”. However, one could argue that making the process required for an establishment to get a liquor license would bring in a multitude of jobs and progress to this community.

By making a liquor license something easier for establishments to obtain, many more restaurants would move into the community, bringing in more revenue in a form of taxes for the city of Russellville because restaurants, unlike a Walmart Market, would bring in people from all surrounding communities who don’t want to drive all the way to Conway for good dinning.

If the ordinance to be voted on is passed, this would set a precedence which could potentially allow businesses to encroach on neighborhood property, thus impacting property values. Community progress should be something that is in the best interest of the community as a whole, not what is in the best interest of one business.

Kristina Rispoli

Russellville

Illegal dumping

At one time we were told that if you find and prove who dumps on your land, maybe through an address on envelopes that have been thrown away, you would get half of the fine the court charges the culprits. The city could find who is behind this and make them clean up and collect on the fine.

Brenda Reinold

Russellville

Strength of will

I would just like to thank Eva Robinson of Dover for having the strength of will and character to stand up for the civil rights of us all in filing suit and following through with her legal action against Sheriff Aaron Duvall, Pope County, state police officers, and the city of Dover, even though the easier way would be to settle the case and forgo all the stress and anxiety that accompanies the legal process.

It is so easy to succumb to the fear and intimidation that most experience in interaction with the government and law enforcement authorities, and decide that their offer of settlement is enough. Most times these settlements include a non-disclosure agreement, and a finding of no fault on the part of officials. And even then, the Arkansas municipal league steps in and pays any fines and judgments against those offenders, and they go straight back on the street and do the same thing again. Sometimes it takes a plain disregard for the possible personal consequences, and an unwavering determination to expose wrongdoing to the public, to find the strength to proceed.

In my case against the county sheriff concerning the conveyance of public property, the communication I received from his attorney admitted the improper use of the felony seizure statute, and included the offer to pay my attorneys fees and any monetary civil judgment due me if I would drop the suit. And he promised he wouldn’t do it again.

He won the suit based on the technicality that he ‘traded’ the public property, and did not ‘sell’ it. It didn’t matter there was absolutely no independent appraisal, no authorization from the quorum court, nor was there any receipt or listing of the transaction whatsoever in the county record.

In my mind, the apparent lack of ethics is not changed. The taxpayer will always be left to wonder who might have gotten paid. And without the filing of that suit, the public would never have known what actually occurred.

Given the ASP Central Investigative Division’s record of finding no fault in most incidents of this type, the only real oversight lies in the vigilance and action of common citizens, and again I thank Eva and her family for standing up for our civil rights.

I would much rather see Mr. Vernon tell the public what he IS doing to help get these animals adopted rather than a defensive response like this.

The "come adopt some animals" comment sums it all up. Successful shelters don't have that kind of attitude. They are proactive. They rally volunteers and use them. The organize adoption events. They NAME their animals!! They give them personality profiles and really work hard to get them adopted. The list goes on and on. And, I don't see Mr. Vernon doing any of this.

Mr. Tate, Your insight and keen sense of public affairs, your judgement and ability to convert concepts into words, and your magnanimous graciousness is a fundamental reason why living in the river valley is an experience that can only be compared to that of residing in heaven. I thoroughly enjoy your participation in our public discussions, and wonder why the newspaper hasn't offered you a position of management in the newsroom. I look forward with great anticipation to your next post.